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Serious ?’s about WVU....

W-S HerdFan

W-S HerdFan

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Hoping to get something out of this besides insults! You have to respect what Coach Huggins has done for the ‘eers.
He & Danny are polar opposites: One is dour, a man who uses an economy of words in answering ? Dan is boisterous, gregarious, full of quips and jokes. Quite folksy, I believe, would be accurate.

Q1 Do these 2 teams mirror their coaches’ personalities?

We hear so much about the vaunted pressure defense of the Mountaineers. Just how good is it? I have watched about 3 mins of them this year, so I have no idea.

Q2 Can a team that starts 3 talented ball handling guards and one of the better ball handling forwards nationally beat this pressure? Sub ? - Marshall doesn’t usually let the shot click go under 10 secs before we shoot. Does this help give us a cushion of time if we can beat the press but get into our sets deeper into the 30 secs?

Q3 - WVU gets the advantage in the front court. How well does WVU defend from 23+ feet out? No one has been able to so far this year.

QLast: Marshall will play 7 on Sunday if it can get by with it. Our kids are in extremely good shape to go all out for 40+ mins/game. Coach tells them: “ you play all out, all the time while you are on the floor. I will sub for you when I think you need it!” How deep does Huggins’ bench go, and who should we Herd fans keep an eye on past your starting 5?

Bonus? - There is no chance West Virginia could have contemplated playing the Herd ever again in basketball. Kids that believe they were disrespected by the states “Big” school will often relish the chance to show them up & play extra hard in those situations. This is a rivalry game (it is!), but on the biggest possible stage.....is WVU, who we consider to be big-time disrespectful and demeaning towards our guys, our school & our fan base, ready for the emotional intensity that this game will feature?

Thanks for reading. Hope to get some good responses!!
Go Herd!!!
 
I am not sure how things will play out but I can say this year has been more than any of us could have dreamed. If Elmore stays for next year, we will be dancing again I have no doubt.

That said, I am not sure we can handle their pressure for 40 minutes. You can bet Elmore will be blanketed by them, meaning Burks, Peneva and others will really have to play well for us to have a chance.
I’d love to beat those suckers for sure!
 
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Good questions. If you’ve only seen WVU play a few minutes this year, I think you’ll find the press to be less than advertised and Jevon Carter to be as advertised or better. WVU is a team of more questions from one game to the next than most other schools. Will Esa Ahmad decide to give effort? Will Dax Miles hit a shot? Will we go on a seven-minute scoring drought? Eight? Nine? In Big 12 play, we were 7-0 when four players scored in double figures - but can we count on that?! I guess what I’m trying to say is, I have seen every WVU game this year, and I have more questions than you.

I do know this. If we don’t match Marshall’s effort, we’ll lose (and we may anyway). It’s March, and no one is a “13 seed” in the second round. You’re here because you can win and advance. WVU has to play hard, have some things go their way, and try to win a close game.

On a slightly unrelated note, I believe college basketball is the greatest American team sport. The access is amazing! Marshall is five wins from a national championship. Loyola-Chicago is four. College football won’t give us that.
 
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Agree with above. Carter is as good an on ball guard defender as I’ve ever seen and Konate is a great rim protector - but the press as a whole has been sub par largely because we miss that rangy long guy at the front of it (Holton or Adrian of years past).

Our 3,4 position guys (West, Ahmad, Harris) have been abysmal at times at closing out on shooters. That could obviously be a big problem. Our guards are very good defenders, but I suspect a ton of ball screens to induce switches and get Konate out of the lane and put pressure on the 3-4 position defensive weakness in help/rotations.

We are not as deep as we have been in the past but at times get random big games from bench guys like Bolden or Allen.

I think we’ll try to drive it a lot and crash the offensive glass and hope effort/bounce/physicality leadvto second chance points. Try to get Marshall to turn it over and wear down.

I think going into it the game is a toss up.
 
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Their center is a beast but they are very careless with the ball. Herd will turn them over more than they turn us over. 100.00 on the Herd. Added pressure
 
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1. Yes they mirror their coaches personalities. WVU is scrappy, Marshall is of the 3 is more than 2 mentality and D’Antoni is a big proponent of that thinking.

2. Yes Marshall can beat the pressure, it’s been beat before and it will be beat again. I believe being a run it up and shoot type of team does indeed help Marshall, we tend to leave the 3 open when the pressure is broken.

3. Our perimeter defense has been a weak spot, although Jevon Carter should do a good job on Elmore. I would be very surprised if Elmore went off like he did against WSU, the Herd will likely need to find the points elsewhere needed to win.

4. Our rotation vs Murray was 9, we typically go 10, the bottom 3 in this 10 man rotation, Routt, Harler, and Bender are little more than fouls to give. Routt been playing better but still a limited player. Marshall traditionally playing 7 will be a big advantage to us. I know fatigue is not likely to matter given how Marshall made it through a conference tournament without the legs falling off, but given the typical up tempo of both teams and WVU’s tendency to be in a foul fest, I think Marshall would need to find an 8th player to give them a few minutes at some point.

5. Marshall has always given extra effort vs WVU and I don’t expect this meeting to be any different. WVU players will need to respect their opponent and match the intensity or they will be heading home. Lesser Marshall teams have beaten strong WVU teams before, if anyone is thumbing their nose at the opposition they deserve to lose.
 
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In have watched wv all year. At times they play like drunk monkeys and fall over top one another kicking and turning the ball over. At times they shoot horrible. When their press is working and they are hitting west Virginia is a great team. Wv fans are nervous as long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs. Wv's worst nightmare facing the herd in the dance.
 
sistersville said:
In have watched wv all year. At times they play like drunk monkeys and fall over top one another kicking and turning the ball over. At times they shoot horrible. When their press is working and they are hitting west Virginia is a great team. Wv fans are nervous as long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs. Wv's worst nightmare facing the herd in the dance.
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I know wv is better but we are good enough to steal one. Not fake news . Common sense. Far worse herd teams have beat wv. That's why wv is scared to play
 
sistersville said:
I know wv is better but we are good enough to steal one. Not fake news . Common sense. Far worse herd teams have beat wv. That's why wv is scared to play
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Fake news is that we are careless with the ball and turn it over a lot. Stats say otherwise
 
Man, this thread delivers! Just the kind of posts to get the competitive juices flowing. An additional ? - Does the Herd remind WVU of anyone you played this year?
I think we pose some match-up problems, generally. We are really thin down low, but if you watched our games in December, you wouldn’t think it could possibly be the same team. Not only have the “big three” progressed by leaps & bounds (Ajdin more than anybody else), but the addition of Rondale was particularly huge. He gives Jared a blow and still guards well in a bigger frame. He is really good @ slicing to the basket and can knock down the mid-range jumper.
Larger than that, however, has been the emergence of RFrosh Jahnsen Williams (Ga?) and true Frosh Darius George! These 2 have blossomed into big-time contributors. Both 6’8” around 200 lbs. Williams is steadier but wow George is gonna be a great one for seasons to come. The last thing I want to add here is that this Marshall squad, unlike any other I can think of, can just explode on offense. The other thing - over the conference tourney and Friday: They are playing a more active and intense defense than at any other time this season.
Should be a good game!
Go Herd!
 
No. Marshall does not remind me of anyone we’ve played this year. That worries me. Kansas has three guards who can drain threes. They were a tough match-up. Of course, they always are. They’re Kansas. Otherwise, the buzzsaw feeling is here for me...like ahead of our game at TCU. We need to match Marshall’s effort, or we’ll encounter major trouble.

As for the comment about being some sort of a cat scared of rocking chairs (or something to that effect), that’s not me. I’m not scared for WVU to lose. It’s the NCAA tournament. This, and whomever plays the next two weeks, is as good as it gets. Lose in round one, round two, Final Four...there’s no good time to lose. As a fan and alum, I don’t fear WVU losing. I enjoy the hell out of this, celebrate the wins, and congratulate our opponents when the ride ends...all while hoping it will end some year with a 6-0 trip to the NCAA tournament. This. Is. Fun. I hope you’re enjoying it too. Your university and fanbase deserves this experience.
 
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I've seen WVU quite a bit this year watching them play the Cyclones and other B12 teams. I really think how the game is officiated will make a big difference. WVU is very susceptible to a tightly officiated game, based on how they play defense.

When WVU played at Kansas, they kinda got jobbed, like most teams do at Phog Allen. What was the foul differential? Something crazy--didn't KU shoot 34 free throws to WVU's 5?

I think with MU's offensive sets, if WVU is unable to restrict MU's movement, WVU will have trouble winning. If WVU can "hold" MU a bit, and do so without getting dinged for fouls, WVU is going to roll.
 
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Herdcyclones said:
I've seen WVU quite a bit this year watching them play the Cyclones and other B12 teams. I really think how the game is officiated will make a big difference. WVU is very susceptible to a tightly officiated game, based on how they play defense.

When WVU played at Kansas, they kinda got jobbed, like most teams do at Phog Allen. What was the foul differential? Something crazy--didn't KU shoot 34 free throws to WVU's 5?

I think with MU's offensive sets, if WVU is unable to restrict MU's movement, WVU will have trouble winning. If WVU can "hold" MU a bit, and do so without getting dinged for fouls, WVU is going to roll.
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It was 35-2 against Kansas. Crazy stat. It will be interesting to see how closely the refs call it since we play physical.
 
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Wv fans can't handle the pressure of this message board. They can't escape it. Wv is forced to play Marshall on Sunday. I'm too tickled to get upset but listen to stone cold. Like when Hillary lost, fake news fake news. Go to a west Virginia board and brag on wv. They hate that on here
 
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Herdcyclones said:
I've seen WVU quite a bit this year watching them play the Cyclones and other B12 teams. I really think how the game is officiated will make a big difference. WVU is very susceptible to a tightly officiated game, based on how they play defense.

When WVU played at Kansas, they kinda got jobbed, like most teams do at Phog Allen. What was the foul differential? Something crazy--didn't KU shoot 34 free throws to WVU's 5?

I think with MU's offensive sets, if WVU is unable to restrict MU's movement, WVU will have trouble winning. If WVU can "hold" MU a bit, and do so without getting dinged for fouls, WVU is going to roll.
Click to expand...

Strongly agree with this. If they let us get away with little holds and grabs and don’t call all contact at the rim then we flourish...against about anyone.

If they call it tight and if Higgins is a ref then look out. If we get in foul trouble and have to back off or play some zone it likely spells a loss.
 
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You must not know crazy then. Nobody can at times turn the ball over as much as a pressing team. Wv at times can't make 2 footers. Have u even watched them london
 
sistersville said:
You must not know crazy then. Nobody can at times turn the ball over as much as a pressing team. Wv at times can't make 2 footers. Have u even watched them london
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Of course I have watched them. You said WVU turns the ball over - they don’t.

If you’re NOW saying that WVU misses easy shots, yes, that is correct.
 
Herdcyclones said:
I've seen WVU quite a bit this year watching them play the Cyclones and other B12 teams. I really think how the game is officiated will make a big difference. WVU is very susceptible to a tightly officiated game, based on how they play defense.

When WVU played at Kansas, they kinda got jobbed, like most teams do at Phog Allen. What was the foul differential? Something crazy--didn't KU shoot 34 free throws to WVU's 5?

I think with MU's offensive sets, if WVU is unable to restrict MU's movement, WVU will have trouble winning. If WVU can "hold" MU a bit, and do so without getting dinged for fouls, WVU is going to roll.
Click to expand...


In other words wv fouls constantly and you hope the officials don’t do their job and blow the whistle. Huggins sumo style of play is better suited for a water polo team.
 
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this should be another good game. WVU will have to be favored but then as I always say we play the game to determine who wins. Others on here have done a good job of pointing out each teams strength and weakness. As a Herd grad I am pulling for Marshall. I will say hopefully this game which is being played on a national stage will generate some good press for my state of birth, West Virginia.No matter what the state has a team in the Sweet 16.
 
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TheLondonBlitz said:
Of course I have watched them. You said WVU turns the ball over - they don’t.

If you’re NOW saying that WVU misses easy shots, yes, that is correct.
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He's changing his story. You can point to the stats for the entire season and he'll ignore it and go with his perception.
 
GreenDuke said:
In other words wv fouls constantly and you hope the officials don’t do their job and blow the whistle. Huggins sumo style of play is better suited for a water polo team.
Click to expand...

There definitely a range of rule interpretation between crews.

Louisville won a National championship in 2013 grabbing and smacking on every possession in their press, so this is not unique to WVU. It’s a coaching strategy - you take your chances that the refs won’t want to blow the whistle on every possession and if they do you then adjust hopefully. It’s not even unique to basketball - watch how Saban coaches his corners...they mug the WRs all over the field and take their chances the refs won’t want to call holding or interference every possession.

I personally prefer the Dantonio or Beilein method to win games (especially easier on the eyes)...but Huggs has his own . Neither MU or WVU can win on talent/recruiting like Duke, so you do what you can (defense/effort/physicality or spread 3’s) to help narrow the gap.
 
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We finally got that 31-year old monkey off our backs. I was thrilled for just that, but then we won our first game, so I couldn't be happier.

That having said, if we were to lose to WVU this year, at least we will go down fighting in The Dance! No shame in that, at all.
 
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.......My thoughts too, but the closer the game gets, the more I believe the packed house in Viejas is going to overwhelmingly support the guys in green. IF (BIG) MU keeps the game w/in 10 pts w/ 10 mins left, we will have a legitimate chance to pull out the win. The Herd has been in a bunch of close games this season; our guys will not fold or tire.
Let’s go!!!
 
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sistersville said:
In have watched wv all year. At times they play like drunk monkeys and fall over top one another kicking and turning the ball over. At times they shoot horrible. When their press is working and they are hitting west Virginia is a great team. Wv fans are nervous as long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs. Wv's worst nightmare facing the herd in the dance.
Click to expand...

It depends on which WVU team shows up in the second half. They can beat anyone when they show up. If the drunk monkeys turn up Marshall will dominate.
 
GreenDuke said:
In other words wv fouls constantly and you hope the officials don’t do their job and blow the whistle. Huggins sumo style of play is better suited for a water polo team.
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What is Huggins 3rd winninest active coach. Maybe your right London. First off I like wv
They throw the ball around and drop it and dive on it. I quess I should have said careless. Im talking after Huggins. WV could win it all. KENTUCKY could win it all. Marshall could win 5 more in a row. Never been any better. Marshall has got a good team and a good coach. Mighty proud of them. GO HERD. Win it all then a movie will follow up WAM
 
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sistersville said:
What is Huggins 3rd winninest active coach. Maybe your right London. First off I like wv
They throw the ball around and drop it and dive on it. I quess I should have said careless. Im talking after Huggins. WV could win it all. KENTUCKY could win it all. Marshall could win 5 more in a row. Never been any better. Marshall has got a good team and a good coach. Mighty proud of them. GO HERD. Win it all then a movie will follow up WAM
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I'm not sure either team can get past Villanova but I could be wrong
 
Well stone after buster Douglas knocked out Tyson I have unwarranted faith in underdogs. Wv has the best chance to beat Villanova but then again who knows what's gonna happen. Pretty cool I can go to church and it will near 3 hrs after church the game begins. We are all stunned that wv and the herd are playing.
We didn't talk much about this happening. All the pressure is on WV and wv fans. If we lose to wv they will flat lay it on us but if the herd wins it will be 10 times worse for wv fans. They say u have to learn to lose to be able to win with class. I hope the winner shows some class towards the losing team and fans. Odds .78% that won't ever happen.
 
Watched WVU quite a bit this year. They rebound well against good rebounding teams. This will be a challenge for us....expect to see plenty of 2nd and 3rd attempts on a possession for them. They have an outstanding defense..and that's a cold, hard fact.

Their offense isn't free-flowing like Marshall - seems a bit more forced, but they can put the ball in the basket.

WVU chokes at the end of the game. Guessing most of their losses were lost in the last five minutes. They've had difficulty making the shot at crunch time... If we can hang with them until the 5 min mark, we have a shot.

On paper, they should win... Which is why we're a12 pt underdog.

GO HERD!
 
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Chevy1 said:
Watched WVU quite a bit this year. They rebound well against good rebounding teams. This will be a challenge for us....expect to see plenty of 2nd and 3rd attempts on a possession for them. They have an outstanding defense..and that's a cold, hard fact.

Their offense isn't free-flowing like Marshall - seems a bit more forced, but they can put the ball in the basket.

WVU chokes at the end of the game. Guessing most of their losses were lost in the last five minutes. They've had difficulty making the shot at crunch time... If we can hang with them until the 5 min mark, we have a shot.

On paper, they should win... Which is why we're a12 pt underdog.

GO HERD!
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I wouldn't say they choke in the last few minutes. It's more of getting up by double digits and sometime in the 2nd half having a long scoring drought to lose that lead.
 
Chevy1 said:
They struggled to score in many of the close games at the end. Some may call that "Choked"....others may call it "Blowing a lead". WVU has a damned good team and should win...but the weakness show in the last mins is opportunity for the herd.

https://wvuwire.com/2018/01/27/no-7...cond-half-lead-and-falls-at-home-to-kentucky/
Click to expand...

Completely agree.

Carter is great but he’s not always a closer and no one else has stepped up late either. Was going Ahmad would be that guy but he hadn’t been.

A reliable late in the game clutch offensive player or set has been lacking.
 
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